Winter 📍

🖼️ Photos 📽️ Videos

Hochul will replace de Blasio for Groundhog Day dutiesPOLITICOSearchSearchClose

Sources: Hochul will replace de Blasio for Groundhog Day dutiesPOLITICOSearchSearchClose

With Mayor Bill de Blasio off to stump for Hillary Clinton in Iowa, Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul is set to replace him for the annual Groundhog Day ceremony at the Staten Island Zoo, sources told POLITICO New York.

The annual morning event is a New York version of the famous shadow check done by Punxsutawney Phil, the famous Pennsylvania varmint. At 7:30 a.m., the zoo's famous groundhog Staten Island Chuck will emerge to see if he (or she) sees his shadow, superstitiously predicting either an early spring or six more weeks of winter drudgery.

The mayor, by tradition, presides, but what should be a harmless photo-op actually became a to-do for de Blasio. In 2014 — his first year in office — the mayor dropped the groundhog, causing internal injuries that led to her death. In 2015 the ceremony was amended so the mayor would not actually touch the animal.

Snow Depth – Saturday January 15

In Lake-Effect County, the definitely have some snow. 🌨

Locally not so much snow, but maybe we will get some more on Monday, although the latest models are suggesting it will be more rain and ice in the greater Albany-area. Maybe a few inches of snow here and there, but it looking less and less like a major snow event, but they keep warning us that the storm track will change again one way or another. But on Tug and Western Adirondacks, they have some decent snow falls around.

There locations have the deepest snow in New York State, per National Weather Service.

1) Lewis County, West Turin town, Highmarket (HGHN6)
14 inches 6am

2) Oneida County, Lee town, Point Rock 0.6 SE (NY-OD-2)
10.5 inches 8am

3) Essex County, North Elba town, Lake Placid 2 S (LPLN6)
9 inches 8am

4) Essex County, Newcomb town, Newcomb (NCBN6)
7 inches 9am

5) Madison County, Nelson town, Cazenovia 2.9 SE (NY-MD-10)
5 inches 7am

6) Franklin County, Malone town, Malone (MALN6)
5 inches 7am

7) Hamilton County, Indian Lake town, Indian Lake (INDN6)
5 inches 8am

8) St. Lawrence County, Gouverneur town, Gouverneur 3 NW (GOVN6)
5 inches 7am

9) Lewis County, Watson town, Chase Lake (GFDN6)
5 inches 6am

10) Essex County, Schroon town, Olmstedville 4.6 NNE (NY-ES-6)
4.5 inches ❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️ 8am

Map: Severence Hill Trail
Map: Gilman Lake
Terrain Map: Niagara Escarpment